Do I have any legal recourse for this situation? I am being harassed online

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Report her post to the social media platform. They may take it down if it’s that bad.

I tried to do this, but I'm not actually friends with her. The post is so her friends can see it, so I can't go to the post and report it. I tried to find a way to show a screenshot but I couldn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:hold on. we're talking about a kitten (presumably) that you got 1.5 years ago and is now moderately tame. if you have had the cat this long then why isn't it your cat. how can she have ownership of a feral cat?

Because when you foster, you have to sign a foster agreement. I was told that the document wasn't actually review by a lawyer, but I couldn't just take the cat once I had it at the vet because they probably would have called the police on me and said it was theft. She was basically feral when she came into the rescue. After having her for 1.5 years, she became semi-feral. She's a housecat now but basically a special needs kitty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP - I am so sorry you are going through this. I feel your anguish over this cat - you must be so worried.

You may not have any actual legal recourse - but many people have had a lawyer send a cease and desist letter anyway. If you have the funds to hire a lawyer for that - it's a quick job - or you have any lawyer friends, it's worth looking into.

If you are worried about the cats, you can call animal services and have them do a welfare check. You can also threaten to do that, if the rescue director doesn't tell you where the cat is and give you the opportunity to adopt them. It is escalatory but something to consider.

You don't deserve any of this. You trusted someone, when maybe you shouldn't have - but that doesn't mean you deserve to be publicly humiliated or to have a cat you nurtured for a year taken away from you.

You might also want to try reaching out to someone at the vet's office to see if they can give you any info - a receptionist or a vet tech. They may say no, but they may not.

I am looking into have a lawyer write a letter.
I was going to look into a protective order for antiharassment, but I was told that process is very lengthy and stressful and my DV advocate says with everything I am already going through, it would just put me through more stress.
I did ask the vet if she could give me info about where the cat was going and she said she would, but then she said she didn't get a chance to talk to the owner of this rescue when my foster cat was picked up after her procedure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - I am so sorry you are going through this. I feel your anguish over this cat - you must be so worried.

You may not have any actual legal recourse - but many people have had a lawyer send a cease and desist letter anyway. If you have the funds to hire a lawyer for that - it's a quick job - or you have any lawyer friends, it's worth looking into.

If you are worried about the cats, you can call animal services and have them do a welfare check. You can also threaten to do that, if the rescue director doesn't tell you where the cat is and give you the opportunity to adopt them. It is escalatory but something to consider.

You don't deserve any of this. You trusted someone, when maybe you shouldn't have - but that doesn't mean you deserve to be publicly humiliated or to have a cat you nurtured for a year taken away from you.

You might also want to try reaching out to someone at the vet's office to see if they can give you any info - a receptionist or a vet tech. They may say no, but they may not.

I am looking into have a lawyer write a letter.
I was going to look into a protective order for antiharassment, but I was told that process is very lengthy and stressful and my DV advocate says with everything I am already going through, it would just put me through more stress.
I did ask the vet if she could give me info about where the cat was going and she said she would, but then she said she didn't get a chance to talk to the owner of this rescue when my foster cat was picked up after her procedure.

I'm glad you're talking to a lawyer - and that you have a DV advocate helping to guide you. I just want to say again how sorry I am. I'm going to suggest another thing to talk to the lawyer about - that's filing a lawsuit to get the cat back. You probably don't want to actually file, and I think it's not 100% that you would win if you do, but I think there is a reasonable argument to make that after caring for this cat for most of their life, that you should be considered the owner - you'd file what's called a replevin action to get the cat back (that's when someone has wrongfully taken your property - animals are considered property under the law).

Again, not sure you want to actually file suit - but the lawyer may want to threaten a lawsuit, if you would like to get the cat back. Just to see if it works.

I am wishing the best for you and for the cat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - I am so sorry you are going through this. I feel your anguish over this cat - you must be so worried.

You may not have any actual legal recourse - but many people have had a lawyer send a cease and desist letter anyway. If you have the funds to hire a lawyer for that - it's a quick job - or you have any lawyer friends, it's worth looking into.

If you are worried about the cats, you can call animal services and have them do a welfare check. You can also threaten to do that, if the rescue director doesn't tell you where the cat is and give you the opportunity to adopt them. It is escalatory but something to consider.

You don't deserve any of this. You trusted someone, when maybe you shouldn't have - but that doesn't mean you deserve to be publicly humiliated or to have a cat you nurtured for a year taken away from you.

You might also want to try reaching out to someone at the vet's office to see if they can give you any info - a receptionist or a vet tech. They may say no, but they may not.

I am looking into have a lawyer write a letter.
I was going to look into a protective order for antiharassment, but I was told that process is very lengthy and stressful and my DV advocate says with everything I am already going through, it would just put me through more stress.
I did ask the vet if she could give me info about where the cat was going and she said she would, but then she said she didn't get a chance to talk to the owner of this rescue when my foster cat was picked up after her procedure.

I'm glad you're talking to a lawyer - and that you have a DV advocate helping to guide you. I just want to say again how sorry I am. I'm going to suggest another thing to talk to the lawyer about - that's filing a lawsuit to get the cat back. You probably don't want to actually file, and I think it's not 100% that you would win if you do, but I think there is a reasonable argument to make that after caring for this cat for most of their life, that you should be considered the owner - you'd file what's called a replevin action to get the cat back (that's when someone has wrongfully taken your property - animals are considered property under the law).

Again, not sure you want to actually file suit - but the lawyer may want to threaten a lawsuit, if you would like to get the cat back. Just to see if it works.

I am wishing the best for you and for the cat.

The cat isn't hers. She signed a foster agreement. The cat is the rescue's property. That's how it works.

The rescue director rightfully questioned HER PROPERTY's safety when informed about the ongoing DV issue in the home of the foster parents. Foster parents of animals have to be screened and follow appropriate guidelines - DV certainly is a legitimate reason to remove.

The rescue is within her rights to post what she wants on social media - particularly given that she didn't post specifics. There is no "harrasment" in this scenario. Similarly, OP has come here to spout all kinds of allegations about the director - who could in turn feel the same way as OP.

OP should be encouraged to focus on the actual problems she is having - namely protecting herself mentally and physically from an abusive person - all this energy focusing on a foster should be re-directed so that OP can have a healthy life, if not a happy one.

[Anonymous]

You're not being harassed online.

You weren't named. She is not repeatedly contacting or threatening you - or at all from what you've posted. She posted her perspective on a situation that happened in her life while not giving names. She's well within her rights to do so. It sucks that she's made you feel bad about it and although it may not be true, unless she identified you AND it caused you harm (which you would have to prove such harm as a direct correlation of her post) than you don't have a legal standing.

Lawyers will take money for anything - you can pay for a cease and desist - but if she's not contacting you anyway, then it's not doing anything for you but using your money.

[Anonymous]

If the personal attack was posted on Facebook or similar social media, you could probably get the platform to remove the post by reporting it.

You need to contact an actual agency about the shed of cats instead of a non-profit group. Animal Control (which is run by the police in my Maryland county) would know how to get legal permission to access locked property and evaluate the conditions. It won't be the first time they've dealt with a hoard of cats. If the animals are confiscated, you could probably get your cat back for good. (In my county a rescue group was shut down for similar conditions.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - I am so sorry you are going through this. I feel your anguish over this cat - you must be so worried.

You may not have any actual legal recourse - but many people have had a lawyer send a cease and desist letter anyway. If you have the funds to hire a lawyer for that - it's a quick job - or you have any lawyer friends, it's worth looking into.

If you are worried about the cats, you can call animal services and have them do a welfare check. You can also threaten to do that, if the rescue director doesn't tell you where the cat is and give you the opportunity to adopt them. It is escalatory but something to consider.

You don't deserve any of this. You trusted someone, when maybe you shouldn't have - but that doesn't mean you deserve to be publicly humiliated or to have a cat you nurtured for a year taken away from you.

You might also want to try reaching out to someone at the vet's office to see if they can give you any info - a receptionist or a vet tech. They may say no, but they may not.

I am looking into have a lawyer write a letter.
I was going to look into a protective order for antiharassment, but I was told that process is very lengthy and stressful and my DV advocate says with everything I am already going through, it would just put me through more stress.
I did ask the vet if she could give me info about where the cat was going and she said she would, but then she said she didn't get a chance to talk to the owner of this rescue when my foster cat was picked up after her procedure.

I'm glad you're talking to a lawyer - and that you have a DV advocate helping to guide you. I just want to say again how sorry I am. I'm going to suggest another thing to talk to the lawyer about - that's filing a lawsuit to get the cat back. You probably don't want to actually file, and I think it's not 100% that you would win if you do, but I think there is a reasonable argument to make that after caring for this cat for most of their life, that you should be considered the owner - you'd file what's called a replevin action to get the cat back (that's when someone has wrongfully taken your property - animals are considered property under the law).

Again, not sure you want to actually file suit - but the lawyer may want to threaten a lawsuit, if you would like to get the cat back. Just to see if it works.

I am wishing the best for you and for the cat.

The cat isn't hers. She signed a foster agreement. The cat is the rescue's property. That's how it works.

The rescue director rightfully questioned HER PROPERTY's safety when informed about the ongoing DV issue in the home of the foster parents. Foster parents of animals have to be screened and follow appropriate guidelines - DV certainly is a legitimate reason to remove.

The rescue is within her rights to post what she wants on social media - particularly given that she didn't post specifics. There is no "harrasment" in this scenario. Similarly, OP has come here to spout all kinds of allegations about the director - who could in turn feel the same way as OP.

OP should be encouraged to focus on the actual problems she is having - namely protecting herself mentally and physically from an abusive person - all this energy focusing on a foster should be re-directed so that OP can have a healthy life, if not a happy one.

I am the PP and I work in animal welfare. Please don't feel the need to lecture me about foster agreements.

Some rescues make adopters sign agreements that they will return pets to the rescue if you ever need to rehome them. Those are not enforceable. Rescues have people sign all kinds of things. I think it's worth standing up for yourself - and your pet - and at least trying to get the cat back, if you want to. Especially if you don't trust that the cat is being kept safely.

These are gray areas. It's worth trying, if OP wants to do that.